Dissolving stereopticon



A. VISCHER, 1n. DISSOLVING STEBEOPTICON.

APPUCAHON mm SEPT- 2'9. 1914.

1,365,752. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET L /1 mm W5 can? .10.

A. VISCHER, In.

DISSOLVING STEREOPTICON.

urucmon FILED s zrr. 20. 1914.

1,365,752. Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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1,365,752. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED VISCHER, JR., 0} NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AI ITOMATIC PROJECTOR COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DISSOLVING STEREOPTICON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application filed September 29, 1914. Serial No. 864,117.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED VISCHER, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Tompkinsville, borough of Richmond, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dissolving Stereopticons, of which the followin is a specification My invention relates to a dissolving stereopticon i. a, to a stereopticon in which the light intensity of each picture, after it has been projected upon a screen, is gradually diminished while at the same time the neXt succeeding picture is projected upon the screen with a light intensity which increases toa maximum as that of the preceding picture decreases to zero.

The object of my invention is to provide a dissolving stereopticon of the general character specified in which any desired number of pictures may be successively and automatically thrown upon the screen in any predetermined sequence, each picture being dissolved into the next succeeding picture as aforesaid. The stereopticon of my invention may be driven either by motor or by hand.

I A further object of my invention is to provide a stereopticon which, besides having the characteristics just mentioned, will also continuously project and dissolve one picture into another at regular intervals without re ard to whether the machine is supplied wlth a large or a small number of pictures.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, in a stereopticon of the class described, that the-last picture of the series shall dissolve into and be followed by the first picture of the series, without stop or intermission, and that the series shall thus repeat itself, and so on, indefinitely, as long as the machine is operated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a stereopticon of the class described in which a series of pictures may be successivel displayed in alternation with one and tlie same picture, all the pictures being dissolved into one another. Thus '6. g..

.a series of pictures illustrating a sequence of industria operations, or the like, may be shown, each and ever picture being dissolved into one and t e same advertisin legend, said legend being itselfldissolve mto the succeeding picture.

Further objects of my invention are the provlsion of improved mechanisms and structures in a machine of the character specified.

My invention will be better understood by referrln' to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a preferred form of stereopticon embodylng my invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan new of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a front view, part section, taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 represents a partial plan VIEW, part section, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 represents a front view, similar to Fig. 1, with many of the parts removed so as to better show'the'shutter and its operating mechanism; Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 showing the arrangement of some of the principal operating mechanisms and gears; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view showing part of the picture changing and of the carriage reversing mechanism; Fig. 8 is an end view, part section, of Fig. 7 Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of some of the individual pieces forming part of the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings a lantern box 1, in which may be an illuminating means of any approved type, is arranged centrally upon a base or bed 2 and provided with laterally disposed condensing lenses 3 in the usual manner; projecting lenses 4 are arranged forward of and in line with the condensing lenses. Each of these projecting lenses has. an attached clamp ring 5, provided with a lu and clamp screw 6, by means of which t e lens can beslid axially or rotated transversely upon an arm 7 which may be adjusted vertically in an upright 8' prising a pair of parallel rods 14. Upon each track is mounted a carriage 15, 15 comprising end castings 16 connected together by outward and inner tubes 17--17 adapted.

to slide upon rods 14; castings 16 are also connected by and support an outer bar 18, 18, and an inner longitudinal rack 19, 19; slide holders 20, preferably of metal, are arranged so that the slide or picture to be projected may be inserted from the top and have an inner leg'ending in a disk bored to fit over and slide upon the inner tube 17 and provided with teeth 21. The outer leg 22 is squared off at the bottom and ordinarily rests upon a corresponding squared off part-of the outer tube 17 The entire space between the end castings 16 of the carriages 15, 15', is ordinarily filled with these plate holders 20.

A shaft 22 is suitably mounted (mount all of these several gears are suitably supported upon the base, 2.

The upper face of central gear 28 is formed with an annular projecting cam surface 29 of whicha little less than 180 is parallel to-the base 2, while the remaining end portions of the cam face slope to the intermediate, lower surfaced, face of the gear pro er.

The shaft 11, which carries the shutter 10, has fixed upon it a rocker arm 29 provided with downward projections at its ends adapted to engage with the cam surface 29 as the same revolves.

The upper surface of each lateral gear 25, 26 is provided with a centrally disposed member 30, 30 of a ratchet clutch. other members 31, 31 of each clutch are adapted to slide up and down in feathered engagement with sleeves 32, 32, mounted to revolve u on the'same shafts as the gears 25, 26. hese sleeves are surmounted by disks 33, 33', each carrying a short pin 34, 34, and, at the extremity of an overhanging bracket shaped piece fixed upon the disk, a second pin, 35, 35. A clutch arm 36, having at each-end thereof a fork shaped member 37 37 provided with pins which engage annular recesses on the clutch members 31, '31, is fixed to shaft 11 so as to oscillate therewith and in correspondence with the movement of rocker arm 29 and of the shutter 10.

Brackets 38, 38, are fixed to the base of the machine, on each side thereof, a little in front of-the lantern box and pivoted at 39, 39, to a part projecting from the inner side of each bracket, are rocking members 40, 40',

The

each having two arms 41, 42 adapted to be successively struck by the pins 34, 34, as the disks 33, 33 revolve,.and a third arm 43 extending outwardly over racks 19, 19; at the extremity of this third arm is pivoted a two armed pawl 44.

Pivotally mounted on lugs 45 attached to brackets 38, 38', is an outwardly extending reversing bar 46 the outer free end of which ends, just inside of the outer bar 18, 18, of carriage 15, 15, in a vertical pin 47 adapted to be engaged by a stop 48 capable of bein; adjustably slid on bar 18, 18 and of being fixed at any desired point on said bar by a set screw 49. A flat spring member 50 is fixed to each reversing bar 46 and extends rearwardly therefrom so as to lie between and against a pair of pins 51, 51 fixed in the upper face of pawl 44. The pivotal end of reversing bar 46 is provided with two 9 notches 52, 52, adapted to be engaged by a V shaped tooth formed on a resilient member 53 attached to lug 45; thereby, when the V shaped tooth is in either notch 52. 52 the reversing bar tends to remain fixed in position until displaced bystop 48 as will later be described. When notch 52 is engaged (Fig. 7) spring 50 will be bent outwardly and hold the rear arm 54 of pawl 44 against the teeth of rack 19, 19, and when notch 52 is engaged (Fig. 9) the forward arm 55 of paw144 will be. held against the teeth of said rack.

Transversely slidable rack bars 56, 56 are supported, one on each side of the center, between rear bracket 12', in which are formed suitable guide ways, and guide ways 57 57, respectively formed in brackets 38, 38. Teeth are cut on the rack bars for a certain distance from each end and the bars are so positioned that, whenever a plate holder 20 is in the same vertical plane as the rack bar. its teeth 21 will mesh with the teeth of said rack bar.

Pinned or otherwise fastened to the inner ends of each rack bar are rack cams 58, 58. the outer faces of which are straight and run with the length of the base 2 while the remaining face of each curves inwardly toward the center and frontwardly as shown by the dotted line 59 of Fig. 4. These cams 58, 58' are so positioned that their faces, as just referred to, may be engagedby the pins 35, 35 as the disks 33, 33 are revolved.

The operation of my improved stereopticon is as follows:

Let us assume that all of the slide holders on each carriage are filled and that, in the operation of the stereopticon, the same has i been stopped with the parts in the position shown in Figs. 1-4. The slide holder 20 lies upon its side in front of the left hand set of lenses and the shutter 10 is in its right hand position, with the left hand set of lenses open and the right hand set closed, so

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that the slide in holder 20 is projected upon the screen. The teeth 21 on slide holder 20 are engaged with the teeth of the transverse rack 56 immediately beneath, while the teeth of slide. holder 20, at the right and in line with holder 20', are similarl engaged with the teeth of its own imme iately adjacent rack 56.

Power is applied through shaft 22 and gears 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, the last carrymg cam face 29, are driven thereby. When cam face 29 has revolved through a little less than 90, it will begin to act on rocker arm 29 so as to cause shutter 10 to swing to the left and close the left hand lens system and open the right hand lens system. As

the cam face thus revolves through a little less than 90, disk 33 will revolve through a little less than 180, inasmuch as the right end of clutch member is down and hence clutch members 30' and 31' engaged; pin 34' will, hence, first engage arm 41', thereby carrying pawl 44' forward two teeth on rack 19' (an amount equal to the thickness of two slide holders), and will then engage arm 42',

which will cause the rear tooth of pawl 44 to engage rack 19' and push carriage 15' and slide holder 20 the same distance to the rear, thereby bringing the teeth of slide holder 20, the second in front of holder 20 in mesh withrack bar 56. By the time this is accomplished pin 35' has revolved through about 90 and will contact with the outer straight face of rack cam 58'; as the pin then moves through the next 90 it will push against this straight face, move transverse rack bar 58' to the right and throw new slide 20 down in front of the right hand set of lenses.

As the rocker arm 29' and shutter 10 are oscillated, as above described, clutch arm 36 is also oscillated so as to engage clutch members 30-31 and disengage clutch members 30'-31. This stops the rotation of disk 33' and starts the rotation of disk 33. Through about the first 90 of rotation this disk 33 exerts no action upon any other part of the mechanism, but at the end of this angle, pin 35 will engage the inner face of rack cam 56 and during its second 99 of rotation will move said rack cam to the right thereby throwing plate holder 20' up and from in front of the left hand set of lenses. As disk 33 continues to revolve through the next 180 pin 34 will now successively engage arms 41 and 42, of rocking member 40, thereby pushing carriage 15 with slide 20' back two spaces and replacing it by the second slide 20 in front as above described for the slides on the right hand side. Pin 35 will then be in position to engage the outer straight face of rack cam-56 and will throw holder 20, withits fresh slide, down in front of the left hand set of enses.

By this time cam face 29 will have revolved completely from in under the right hand end of rocker arm 29' and said rocker arm will, therefore, oscillate clock-wise sov as to again cover the right hand set of lenses and uncover the left hand set of lenses. This will a ain disengage. clutch members 30-31 an re'e'ngage clutch members 30'-31 thereby again starting up disk 33 which turns through substantially 90. without effect upon other parts of the mechanism and then through substantially a second 90. with pin 35 in engagement with the inner face of rack cam 58 which is thereby moved to the left so as to throw the right hand slide holder up and away from the front of the right hand lens system.

This leaves the parts as they. were at the start and the cycle of operations now repeats itself, as described, as long as power continues to be applied.

The detailed description above given may be compacted and generalized as follows: lVhile a slide of the left hand carriage .is beingexhibited, the right hand carriage, with the slide last exhibited, is pushed back an amount sufiicient to bring the second slide forward into position, with the teeth of its holder in mesh with the right hand transverse rack, by means of which the fresh slide is thrown down in line with the right hand lens system. The shutter 10 is then carried to the left so as to expose the right hand slide and shut off the left hand lens system. The left hand slide is then thrown up by the left hand transverse rack, its carriage pushed back so as to bring the second holder forward into mesh with the left hand trans verse rack, and then the holder and slide thrown down in line with the left hand lens system. Shutter 10 is then carried to the right so as toexpose the lefthand slide and shut off the right hand lens system and the cycle repeats itself. i As above described each carriage 15 15, carrying its group of slide holders, is supposed to be moved continuously in the same direction, namely, to the rear, by steps, each step moving the carriage through a distance sufficient to bring the second slide forward in position to be shown. During the rear ward movement of the carriage therefore, every other or alternate slide is successively positioned and shown.

To position and show the alternate and remaining slides is accomplished as follows: Referring to Fig. 7 the position of the parts is that which obtains when. for a rearward movement of the carriage, but one slide remains to be shown. This is determined by suitably setting the adjustable stop 48 on the bar 18. As the disk 33 continues to rotate the pawl 44 is first moved forward slide) in a position to be shown. This rearward movement of the carriage has, however, caused the stop 48 to engage the pin 47 and move the reversing bar 46, to the rear until locked by the engagement of resilient member 53 with notch 52. This movement of the reversing bar will cause spring 50 to press against pin 51' instead of pin 51 of pawl 44 and will throw the arm 55 of said pawl on the top of one of the teeth of rack ,19 and about midway of a pair of notches. When disk 33 again comes around, so as to cause pin 34 to engage arm 41 of rocking member 40, the arm 55 of pawl 44 will be slid forwardly until it falls. into the next notch of the rack. The carriage. itself will then be pushed forward. The angle through which rocking member moves will be suflicient to move the entire carriage through a distance equal to the space occupied by two slide holders but half of this angle will represent merely the sliding of the arm 55 upon ,a notch of the rack. The other half of the angle will, therefore, correspond with a forward movement-of the carriage sufficient to move it through the space occupied by a single slide holder. After the last slide of the grouphas been shown, therefore, on the rearward movement of the carriage the carriage reverses so as to position and show the immediately adjacent slide. On the next rotation of disk 33 the arm 55 will be moved i forwardly through its entire angle from one notch to the next forward notch and then rearward through the same angle thereby moving the carriage so as to position and show the second slide to the 'rear and so on.

When the carriage has reached its'extreine forward position it will be again similarly reversed by the engagement of a rear stop 48.

The two stops 48 belonging to each carriage may be set so as to include any desired numberof slide holders either large or small, and the number of slide holders included between the stops on one carnage may or may not be the same as the number of slide-holders included between the stops of the other carriage.

T o'increase the capacity of the machine I need merely increase the length of the carriages so as to hold a greater number of slide holders and correspondingly increase the length of the tracks upon which the carriages move.

My invention comprises essentially therefore, as will have been seen, a pair of single projecting lanterns complete with their lens systems, slide holding carriages and mechanism for regularly and intermittently moving the same, arranged adjacent to and parallel with one another; the latter mechanisms are related so as to position slides alternately in cooperation with one another and-with a common shutter.

By dispensing altogether with one of these lanterns with its mechanism and with the mechanism relating it to the other lantern I have a single lantern capable of auto matically showing any number of slides in repeated and predetermined sequence. Such a structure I consider as part of my invention.

While I have shown my invention as cmbodying two lantern mechanisms side by rality of stacked slides, means for intermittently moving said carriage longitudinally so as to bring a dificrent slide into operative proximity to its lens system, means for noving said slide with reference to the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, means for returning the slide to the can ria-ge and means for reversing the direction of movement of the carriage while continuing the intermittent movement of the carriage and of the slides.

. 2. In a stereopticon, a lens system, means for alternately sending a beam of light a through said system and then shutting oil said beam, a carriage adapted to hold a plurality of stacked slides, means for intermittently moving said carriage longitudinally so as to bring the second succeeding slide into operative proximity to its lens system, means for moving said slide with reference to the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, and means forcausing each carriage to reverse the direction of movement at the end of its travel for a distance equal to one-half step and then to resume its normal operation in such reverse direction. 3. In a stereopticon, a lens system, means for alternately sending a beam of light through said system and then shutting off said beam, a carriage adapted to hold a plurality of stacked slides, means for intermittently moving said carriage longitudinally in a given direction, automatic means for reversing said carriage at a given point and intermittently moving it in the opposite direction and means for placing a slide in line with the lens system during the periods of rest of the carriage. y

4. In a stereopticon provided with a pair of independent lens systems and means for sending a beam of light alternately through said systems, a longitudinally arranged carriage, adapted to hold a plurality'of slides, for each lens system, means for alternately imity to its lens system, means for moving said slide with relation to the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, and means for reversing the direction of movement of said carriages while maintaining their alternate and intermittent movements.

5. In a stereopticon, a lens system, means for alternately sending a beam of light through said system and then shuttin ofif said beam, a carriage adapted to hod a plurality of stacked slides, means for inter mittently moving said carriage longitudinally so as to bring the second-succeeding slide into operative proximit to its lens system, means for moving said slide with reference to the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system and means for causing the carriage to reverse the direction of its movement at any desired step in its travel.

6. In a stereopticon, a lens system, means for alternately sending a beam of light through said system and then shutting ofl said beam, two carriages each adapted to hold a plurality of stacked slides, means for intermittently moving each carriage longitudinally and shifting the slides with respect to the carria e, so as to bring the second-succeeding sli e into operative proximity to its lens system and adjustable means for causing one carriage to reverse the direction of its movement at any desired step in its travel, irrespective of the point at which the other carriage reverses.

7. In a stereopticon, a pair of independent lens systems, means for sendin a beam of light alternately through sai systems, a lon itudinall -arranged carriage adapted to hol a plura ity of slides for each lens system, means for alternatel moving the carria es in their own lengt so as to bring a difl erent slide into operative proximity to its lens system, means for moving each slide with relationto the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, means for relens systems, means for sendin ating turning its slide to its carriage, and actumechanism for causing such movement of t e slide to take place while a slide from the othercarriage is being shown.

8. In a stereopticon, a pair of independent a beam of light alternately through sai systems, a longitudinall arranged carriage adapted to hold a plura ity of slides foreach lens system, means for alternately moving the carria es in their own lengt so as to bring a difl erent slide into operative proximity to its lens system, means for moving each slide with relation to its carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, means for returning the slide to its carria e, and actuating mechanism for causing t e movement of each slide and its carriage to be completed while a slide from the other shown.

9. Apparatus for projecting lantern slides, a slide at a time alternately from two groups, comprising means for progressively showing alternate slides of each group until the terminal slide is reached, and means for reversing the direction of movement of the slides for progressively showing the intermediate slides. 10. Apparatus for projecting lantern slides, a slide at a time alternately from two groups, comprising means for utilizing the interval while the slide of one group is being shown to withdraw from projecting position the slide of the other group just shown, means to advance such group a step, to bring a succeeding slide into register with the projecting plane, and means to move such slide into projecting position.

11. Apparatus for projecting lantern slides comprising means for assembling the slides into two groups, means for exhibiting a slide of one group, means operable during the interval it is being shown for bringing into position for projection a slide of the second group, means for ending the exposure of the first slide and beginning the exposure of the second, and means operable during the interval while saidsecond slide is being shown for withdrawing the first slide back into its group and replacing it in projecting position with a subsequent slide from that carriage is being group, said fourth mentioned means oper- -able for then ending the exposure of the second named slide and commencing the exposure of the third named slide, said third mentioned means during such exposure recal center of said lens and instrumentalities constructed and arranged to rotate the rotatable member occupying said predetermined position to successively move the transpar-. encies. carried thereby substantially into alinement. with the focal axis of said lens and in=intercepting relation with respect to said luminous rays.

13. A projecting a paratus having, in combination, a set of enses having a common focal axis, a carrier arranged to move longitudinally of said focal axis, a plurality of rotatable members mounted on said carrier between the lenses constituting said set, instrumentalities adapted to move 531d carrier longitudinally of said focal axls to successively move said rotatable members into ment to said carrier longitudinally of the.

focal axis of said lens to successively move said rotatable holders into a predetermined position with respect to said lens, instrumentalities adapted to automatically rotate each of said rotatable members while said holders are occupying said predetermined position and means rendered operative by the movement of said carrier a predetermined distance adapted to return said carrier to its initial position with respect to said lens.

15. A projecting apparatus having, in combination, a lens, instrumentalities for directing luminous rays through said lens, a plurality of rotatable holders constructed and arranged to rotate about an axis substantially parallel with the focal axis of said lens, instrumentalities constructed and arranged to move said plurality of holders longitudinally of the focal axis of said lens successively into a predetermined position with respect to said lens, instrumentalities adapted to intermittently rotate the .holder occupying said predetermined position to move a transparency held thereby into intercepting relation with respect to said luminous rays and instrumentalities adapted to automatically operate to shut off the said luminous rays during the rotary and lon gitudinal movements of said holders.

16. A projecting apparatus having, in combination, a lens, instrumentalities for directing luminous rays through said lens, a plurality of holders, each adapted to hold a plurality of transparencies, said holders being arranged side by side torotate about a common axis extending substantially parallel with the focal axis of said lens, instrumentalities constructed and arranged to impart to said plurality of holders a step-bystep movement longitudinally of said common axis to move said holders one at a time into a predetermined position with respect to said lens, instrumentalities adapted to intermittently rotate the holder occupying said predetermined position about said axis to move a transparency carried thereby into intercepting relation with respect to said luminous rays and instrumentalities rendered operative by a predetermined movement of said plurality of holders longitudinally of said common axis to return said plurality of holders to their initial positions.

17. An apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a plurality of lenses, instrumentalities for directing luminous rays through said lenses, a plurality of parallelly disposed series of transparencies, instrumentalities constructed and arranged to move each of said series of transparencies successively into a predetermined position with respect to one of the lenses, means adapted to automatically shut as said luminous rays of one lens system during the movement of the series of transparencies associated with it, and instrumentalities adapted to revolve the series of transparencies occupying said predetermined position to move the transparencies thereof successively into intercepting relation with respect to said luminous rays.

18. In a stereopticon, a lens system, a carriage adapted to hold a plurality of slides, means for intermittently moving said carriage longitudinally so as to bring a different slide into operative proximity to its lens system, means for moving said slide with referenceto the carriage so as to place it in line with the lens system, means for returning the slide to the carriage, and means for reversing the direction of movement of the carriage while continuing the intermittent movement of the carriage and of the slides.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED VISCHER, JR. lVitnesses:

ELMER G. VVILLYOUNG, FRED A. KLEIN. 

